Executives based in Asia and Africa were the most optimistic about the future. Of Asia-based execs, 84% were optimistic about the coming years; 78% of Africa-based executives believe that the future is bright in development. At the lowest end of the spectrum? Europe-base executives at 70%, which is nonetheless quite heartening. Still, if executives working in Asia and Africa are the most optimistic, what does that say about the current conditions there, which so many in the West assume are discouraging?

Sixty-seven percent of executives believe that development will fundamentally change in the coming years.

And what driver of change do these execs think will have the most impact? The rise of developing countries. That’s right, not USAID or the UN or Bill and Melinda Gates. The DEVELOPING countries. The rise of the rest.

For those of us hooked on news of Ebola and beheadings and airstrikes, we wonder what the world’s coming to. In Asia and Africa, the people on the ground see things getting better and better.